Hosting a Free College Readiness Event Is an Excellent Community Outreach Opportunity
Hosting a FREE college readiness event is a prime marketing opportunity for your test-prep business and an excellent chance to connect with your local community. It’s an ideal way to gather together existing students as well as prospective clients to help them navigate the college application and admissions process.
Set Clear Goals
For attendees, the purpose of the event should be a sort of “one-stop-shop” for all the elements of the college prep and college application processes. You, your staff, and/or additional presenters from local colleges and institutions should be prepared to support local students and families as they grapple with all the elements of the college admissions process such as registering for upcoming an SAT® or ACT®, filling out college applications, meeting deadlines, crafting essays, securing recommendations, and completing the necessary forms (e.g., FAFSA).
For you and your tutoring business, the goal is to expose local students and families to your test-prep business. Much like how hosting FREE practice tests can generate strong leads, community outreach events like this can generate good will and trust that other marketing opportunities can’t.
With your intentions set, you’ll have an easier time planning your event’s time frame, location options, agenda, and advertising.
Choose Your Location
You could host this event at your office or tutoring center, if you have enough space to be accommodating for this type of open house-style affair. Keep in mind, though, that hosting it at your business will not be the most welcoming atmosphere for students and families who are not necessarily looking for your test-prep services—yet. You are far more likely to attract new clients in a more comfortable and/or familiar location.
Libraries and community centers are the ideal locations for these events. They’re neutral, local venues typically located in the center of town or otherwise easily accessible locations. Not only that, but these are naturally higher-traffic locations than your private business, so advertising an upcoming event in one of these public places is likely to reach more people. You may even generate interest from those passing by while your event is in progress.
Garner Community Support
As an outreach to your local community, it’s important to incorporate and utilize as many local connections as possible. It’s a good faith move that demonstrates that your test-prep business is a business they can count on; one that is invested in the community.
Reach out to local colleges (community, public, and private) in your area and let them know that you are hosting an event. Ask them if they would be willing to send a representative to come speak and/or offer any of their resources (brochures, tools, SWAG). If there are any former clients, local college alumni, and/or local high school alumni who would be willing to come speak to students and their families, even better—personal anecdotes and experiences can really make a memorable impact for college-bound students and their families. Those who have already survived the college admissions process are some of the best resources for assuaging apprehensions and clarifying uncertainties about how everything works.
Invite Admissions Professionals
If you can get local college admissions representatives to attend, it can be a huge help for students and families learning to navigate the admissions process. What’s more, most schools are used to these types of requests for events like college fairs. There are likely specific faculty on staff ready with the materials and language to help deliver the exact types of information your guests will be seeking.
Another key admissions player to seek out is a Federal Student Aid representative who can aptly answer any and all FAFSA questions. You can request a FSA representative to join your event by filling out an FSA Outreach Event Request Form. Any additional questions, reach out to them via FSAOutreach@ed.gov.
Advertise
Advertising is the key to making your event a success, and hopefully one that your business can host as an annual event for the community. Be sure to use smart advertising in a variety of styles and across multiple platforms in order to reach as many people as possible, and advertise early!
Start with your test-prep business’s website—prominently advertise your event here.
Email your existing clients—let your students and their parents know about the event and why they should attend. To the extent that it is feasible, this should be a personalized style of outreach, tailored to the people who have already come to rely on your services.
Utilize your test-prep business social media platforms.
Put an ad in the local paper.
Request that the location of where you’re hosting includes an advertisement in their monthly newsletters, on their public bulletin boards or social platforms, and email blasts.
Put up signs around the community advertising your event with the location, date, and time. Of course, be sure to comply with local posting rules.
Submit flyers to local schools. While not all schools will be quick to circulate your business’s traditional advertisements, a more benign flyer detailing your event as well as the different representatives and supports that will be there might make it through to students and their families.
Market Your Brand
No matter your purpose in hosting a college readiness event, be sure that your brand is conspicuous to all attendees. You’ll want to have a table that is exclusive to your test-prep business with multiple representatives there to talk to prospective students and their families. This is where your company can pitch your business’s services and market your value.
Additionally, it’s not a bad idea to have some SWAG of your own. For example, a wall or desktop calendar with your company’s logo that contains all of the year’s essential dates and deadlines is a great way to advertise with a practical resource people are likely to rely on. Getting your brand and business on someone’s wall or desk can be a great reminder should your services be needed down the line!
Should you choose to conduct an address on behalf of your business, be sure to take a look at our guide to wowing audiences with impactful presentations. Remember that the goal of the event is to inform and earn good will; have a topic prepared that falls in line with the type of information your guests are looking for—not a live infomercial.
Promote Your Next Event
Your test-prep business’s services should be marketed throughout your event, but you also want to give potential clients even more of a reason to rely on your business. Hosting a FREE diagnostic practice ACT® or SAT® test? Make sure that you’re advertising that during this event.
Hosting a community-based event that benefits all who attend—from the representatives and guest speakers to the students and families seeking support and guidance, is a major value-add to your business. It shows that your test-prep business is interested, invested, and cares about the community.
For more ideas on How to Generate & Close Leads as well as the Dos and Don’ts of Tutoring, be sure to follow our blog—we’re always finding new ways to help take your test-prep business to new heights.